Temple City Building Permits Guide for Homeowners

Last updated November 13, 2026. Reviewed by the Cash Home Buyers CA team.

Temple City’s Building & Safety Division sits in the Community Development Department and takes permit applications and plans electronically, with inspections scheduled by phone Monday through Thursday. This guide explains what Temple City homeowners can find on the city’s building pages: how to apply, how to book time with the plan checker, how inspections are requested, what the fee schedule says about plan check deposits, and how permit history affects a sale.

The city updates its forms and fees each fiscal year, so confirm current details with the division before you start work.

Temple City permits at a glance

Department	Building & Safety Division, Community Development Department, City of Temple City
Building contact	building@templecity.us or (626) 285-0488, as listed on the city’s Apply Online page
City Hall main line	(626) 285-2171; the city’s municipal code page lists Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Applications	Plans must be submitted electronically; the city also runs a Permit and Project Portal and an online permit search
Plan checker availability	8:00 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Wednesdays, in 20-minute appointments
Inspections	Conducted Monday through Thursday; requests by phone at (626) 656-7327, with a cutoff of 3:30 p.m. noted on the city’s page
Plan check deposit	The FY 2025-26 fee schedule lists a minimum $157 deposit before review and $39 for each additional hour
Fee basis	Permit fees depend on the valuation of the work; ask the permit counter for a quote

What the Building & Safety Division does

The division reviews construction plans, issues building permits and inspects work for homes in Temple City. For homeowners that covers additions, remodels, electrical, plumbing and mechanical changes, garage conversions, accessory dwelling units, solar systems and similar projects. The city’s Community Development pages group building, planning and community preservation together, which means the same department can tell you whether a project needs a building permit, a planning approval or both.

The city’s building pages also list dedicated pages for electronic plan check, solar energy system permits, EV charger permits and a monthly report of significant permits issued. Those pages are a good first stop for a small project because they tell you what to prepare before you call.

How to apply: plans go in electronically

The city’s Apply Online page lists building@templecity.us and (626) 285-0488 as the contact for permit applications and says all plans must be submitted electronically. That means a contractor or homeowner prepares plans as digital files rather than carrying paper sets to the counter.

The city also lists a Permit and Project Portal, and the public records page links to an online building permit search.

The public records page also gives building@templecity.us for requests for construction plans, which is the route to try when a buyer or lender asks for records on an older address.

If your project is simple, start by describing it in an email to the building address and ask what must be submitted. If it is complex, book time with the plan checker first.

Booking time with the plan checker

The city’s Appointments page is a portal for virtual or in-person appointments with Community Development staff. It covers planning, building and community preservation among other functions.

For plan review it states that the Building Official and plan checker are available from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Wednesdays, and that appointments are 20 minutes long.

Because the window is narrow, book early and bring your questions in writing: the scope of work, the address, whether the structure is original or an addition, and whether an existing permit is open.

Inspections in Temple City

Days and cutoff

The city’s Inspections page says building inspections are conducted Monday through Thursday and gives (626) 656-7327 as the number to request an inspection. The page excerpt also refers to a 3:30 p.m. cutoff for requests, so call before then if you want the earliest slot, and confirm with the division which day the cutoff applies to.

Solar and other projects

The city’s solar submittal bulletin says on-site inspections can be scheduled by calling the Building Department at (626) 285-0488 and that requests received within business hours are handled that day. Because the two pages list different numbers, ask the permit counter which line to use for your project.

Keep the record

When an inspection passes, keep the signed inspection card or the final sign-off. A finaled permit is the best evidence a buyer’s agent or lender can ask for later.

What the fee schedule says

The city’s FY 2025-26 Master Fees and Fines Schedule lists building plan check, permits, inspections and related services. The excerpt of the schedule shows a minimum $157 deposit required before plan review and $39 for each additional hour.

An earlier version of the schedule describes building fees as 120 percent of the fees established by the County of Los Angeles for the same services, so confirm whether that basis still applies.

Because permit fees depend on the valuation of the work, the only reliable number is the one the permit counter quotes for your scope.

Vacant property registration

Temple City has a vacant property registration program under Title 4, Chapter 2 of its municipal code, retitled “Vacant and Abandoned Property Registration” when the council updated it. The city’s registration page lists (626) 285-2171, extension 4333, and an earlier fee schedule listed an annual filing fee ranging from $35 to $265.

If a Temple City home you own is vacant, for example after an inheritance, ask the city whether registration applies and what it costs now.

Permits and selling a Temple City house

Buyers and lenders ask about permit history, and California sellers generally disclose known unpermitted work on the Transfer Disclosure Statement. Our statewide guide to selling as-is with unpermitted work explains what disclosure involves, and the seller closing costs guide shows what else to budget. If tenants live in the home, read the tenant-occupied home sale guide.

When a Temple City home has an open permit, an expired one, or work done without a permit, you generally have three options: finish and finalize the permit before listing, disclose the work and negotiate on the open market, or sell as-is to a cash buyer who takes the house in its current condition. Use this checklist:

• Ask the city’s building division for the permit record on your address.
• List every addition, garage conversion, enclosed patio or outbuilding, and note which have permits.
• Gather final inspection records, plans and contractor invoices.
• Ask what plans, fees and inspections it would take to permit each unpermitted item.
• Compare that cost and time with a no-repairs cash sale. New construction can also be reassessed for property tax, which our Prop 13 guide explains.

Questions to ask the Temple City building division before you start

• Does my project need Planning or Engineering approval in addition to a building permit?
• Is there an exemption that applies, and what conditions come with it?
• What plan-check deposit and fees apply, and how long will review take right now?
• What inspections will be required, and in what order?
• Can an existing unpermitted structure be legalized, and what would that involve?

Common permit mistakes homeowners make

The most common problems are starting work before the permit is issued, letting a permit expire, skipping a required inspection, and assuming a contractor pulled a permit when none exists. Each one can surface years later when a buyer’s agent, appraiser or lender asks for records.

A lapsed or never-finalized permit is easier to resolve while you still own the home and can answer questions from the city. If you are not planning to stay, decide early whether finishing the permit or selling the house as it stands makes more sense.

If you hired a contractor, ask for a copy of the permit and the final inspection record and keep them with your closing documents. A finaled permit is the clearest evidence that the work was inspected. Our capital gains guide also explains how improvement costs may matter when you sell.

How to sell a house in Temple City

1. Ask the Building & Safety Division for the permit record on your address.
2. Collect permits, final inspection records and any city notices.
3. Request a no-obligation cash offer for the house as it stands.
4. Choose your closing date.
5. Close with no repairs, permit cleanup or showings required.

See also our Temple City page, the sell as-is page, the sell fast page, the inherited house page, the Temple City cash offer process and the Los Angeles County hub.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a building permit in Temple City?

The city’s Apply Online page lists building@templecity.us and (626) 285-0488 and says all plans must be submitted electronically. The city also has a Permit and Project Portal.

When can I meet with the Temple City plan checker?

The city’s Appointments page says the Building Official and plan checker are available 8:00 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Wednesdays, in 20-minute appointments.

How do I request a building inspection?

The Inspections page says inspections are conducted Monday through Thursday and lists (626) 656-7327 for requests. The city’s solar bulletin lists (626) 285-0488, so confirm the right line with the division.

What does the city charge for plan check?

The FY 2025-26 fee schedule excerpt lists a minimum $157 deposit before review and $39 for each additional hour. Permit fees depend on the valuation of the work.

Can I get copies of old building plans for my Temple City house?

The city’s public records page gives building@templecity.us for construction plan requests and links to an online building permit search.

Can I sell my Temple City house with unpermitted work?

Yes. You can disclose it and sell as-is, including to a cash buyer. Our statewide guide explains the disclosure rules.

More guides

• We Buy Houses in Temple City
• We Buy Houses in Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles County Property Tax Guide
• Temple City Code Enforcement Guide
• Temple City Zoning and ADU Guide
• Monterey Park Building Permits Guide
• Arcadia Building Permits Guide
• All California Guides

Sources

• City of Temple City: Building & Safety
• City of Temple City: Apply Online
• City of Temple City: Inspections
• City of Temple City: Appointments
• City of Temple City: Master Fees and Fines Schedule, FY 2025-26
• City of Temple City: Public Records

This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice. Confirm current rules, fees and hours with the city.